Automatic lead bullet feeder



Oct. 3, 1961 M. G. HOYER AUTOMATIC LEAD BULLET FEEDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed July 27, 1959 INVENTOR. MICHAEL 6. HOYER A rzoz/vfv 3,002,415AUTOMATIC LEAD BULLET FEEDER Michael G. Hoyer, 65 Robertson Ave., WhitePlains, NY. Filed July 27, 1959, Ser. No. 829,918 2 Claims. (Cl. 8645)This invention relates to ammunition and, more particularly, to a devicefor loading bullets.

Many police departments, private shooters, and the like, reload theirown bullets in large quantities. Ordinarily, the hand loading of bulletsconsumes a considerable amount of time. It is therefore an object of thepresent invention to provide a lead bullet feeder assembly for reloadingbullets which will substantially reduce the time and effort required toreload lead bullets.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cam operatedfeeding and ramming assembly for directing lead bullets through a dieblock in a single operation.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a leadbullet feeder of the type described that is completely manuallyoperated, and which has lead bullet supply means for feeding leadbullets to the mechanism for movement toward the die block, in whichposition the lead bullet is forced through the die block by a ramforming a part of the mechanism.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of thisinvention will become apparent from a study of the followingspecification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing,wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a lead bullet feeder unit made inaccordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the assembly shown inFIGURE 1, with parts broken away;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary transverse cross sectional view of certainparts of the assembly in a position in which a lead bullet is being fedtoward the die block;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3, showing the lead bullet beingmoved into proximity with the punch;

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of a lead bullet supplydevice forming a part of the present invention;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary rear view of certain parts of the assemblyshown in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary plan view, partly in section, of still otherparts of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawing, a lead bullet feeder assembly 10 made inaccordance with the present invention is shown to include a base 12 uponwhich a main guide block 14 with a longitudinally extending bore 16 issecured.

As is more clearly shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 of the drawing, a ram orplunger 18 is slidably supported within the longitudinal bore 16 formovement past a cavity 20 having a vertical bore in communication withthe longitudinal bore 26 of a vertical lead bullet supply tube 23 thatis carried by an adapter 22'. A stack of lead bullets 24 are supportedwithin the tube 23 for movement downwardly into the longitudinal bore 16of the block 14, in the path of movement of the plunger 18 from theinterior 26 of the adapter 22.

The block 14 is also provided with a vertical bore 28 that slidablyreceives the drive pin 30 of a ram 31. A die block 34 having a centraldie opening 32 of predetermined size, is positioned below the verticalbore 28 so as to receive the lead bullet 24 moved into the vertical bore28 by the action of the plunger 18'.

A mounting clamp yoke 36, secured by means of a machine screw 38 to therear end of the block 14, clampingly engages a pair of vertical posts 40intergral with the base 12, the upper ends of which are provided withcaps 41 that support a bearing member 42. This bearing member 42rotatably supports a drive shaft 44 having a crank 1 s Pat 3,il02,4l5Patented Oct. 3, 1961 2 arm 46 at one end pivotally connected to one endof a connecting link 48 that has its opposite end pivotally mounted upona transverse pin 50 of the ram 31. Thus, in response to downwardmovement upon the handle 52, the link 48 is operative to drive the ram31 downwardly to force the positioned lead bullet 24 downwardly throughthe die opening 32. A twin sleeve 52 is slidably carried by the posts 40and has a bracket plate 54 extending forwardly alongside thernain block14 and connected by a pin 54' to the ram'31 to be operated by the ram.The adjacent portion of the bracket 54 is provided with a substantiallyS-shaped cam slot 58 that slidably receives a roller sleeve 60 mountedupon a connecting pin 62 that projects outwardly through a side slot 63in the main block 14 from the plunger 18. Thus, the bracket 54, which ismounted by means of machine screws 56 to the twin sleeve 52 is connectedfor vertical movement relative to the ram 31 so as to be verticallymovable therewith in response to actuation of the handle 52.

In actual use, the lead bullets 24 are stacked within the transparentsupply tube 23', whereupon a single lead bullet 24 will drop into theinterior of the longitudinal bore 16 of the block 14 when the plunger 18is in a completely retracted position. During upward movement of thehandle 52', the ram 3 1 and drive pin 30 are raised with respect to thevertical bore 28, during which movement, the follower pin 62 is causedto move through the cam slot 58 into the forward position, illustratedin FIG- URES 2 and 4, in which position, the bullet 24 is moved into thevertical bore 28 in the path of movement of the drive pin 30. Additionalbullets 24 are prevented from dropping down by the plunger 18 thatblocks the passage thereof into the cavity. However, as the plunger 18is returned to its initial position, such cavity is opened to permit thenext bullet 24 to drop into place. The cam and follower are so arrangedthat as soon as the downward movement of the drive pin 30 is commencedby the handle 52, the plunger 18 is urged toward its rearward initialposition. Also, as soon as the drive pin 30 is elevated by the returnmovement of the handle 52', the plunger 18 moves forward to drive thenext bullet 24 into the vertical bore 28 in the path of movement of thedrive pin 30. Since the device is self loading by the stackedarrangement of the bullets within the tube 23, a large number of leadbullets 24 can thus be forced through the die block 34 in a continuousoperation.

While this invention has been described with particular reference to theconstruction shown in the drawing, it is to be understood that such isnot to be construed as imparting limitations upon the invention, whichis best defined by the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. A lead bullet feeder mechanism comprising a base, a main guide blocksupported on said base, a die block supported on said base beneath saidguide block and having a vertically-extending die opening, and leadbullet supply means extending upwardly from said main guide block, saidmain guide block having a vertical bore in alignment with said openingin said die block, said guide block further having a longitudinal boreextending normal to said vertical bore therein, feed rneans fordirecting a lead bullet from said lead bullet supply means through saidlongitudinal bore into said vertical bore and into alignment with saiddie opening in the die block, said feed means including a plungeroperable in said longitudinal bore to so transfer the lead bullet, rammeans for forcing said bullet from said vertically-extending bore in themain guide block through the die opening in the die block, means mountedon said base for operating said ram means, said feed means furtherincluding a vertically-extending plate secured to said ram means to beoperated thereby, said plate having a cam slot therein and said feedplunger having laterally-extending drive means extending into said camslot to effect thereby the operation of said feed plunger, a pair ofvertical guide posts extending upwardly from said base, said main guideblock laterally abutting said vertical guide posts and a clamp yokesecuring said guide block to said post, a twin sleeve slidable upon saidvertical posts, said vertically-extending cam plate having a bracketconnection with said twin sleeve Where- 10 4. ing member fixed to saidcap, a drive shaft extending through said bearing member and having acrank handle on one end and a crank arm upon the other end overlyingsaid ram means, a link pivotally connected to the crank arm and to theram means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS133,066 Stetson Nov. 12, 1872 351,981 Hill Nov. 2, 1886 365,919 HarrisonJuly 5, 1887 2,031,850 Peterson Feb. 25, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS 86,284-Gerrnany Nov. 10, 1921

